With a great sense of sadness and regret, I must report that a great, if
unsung, hero of our movement passed away this morning, surrounded by many of
his fans, from critical burn wounds suffered apparently while attempting to
save his cats from his house fire.

At 6'3", with a bushy red beard, Walter Rave was an imposing figure, even
at his ripe age of 66. After returning from Vietnam in 1970, Walter decided
to devote his life to nonviolence, and particularly to animal advocacy. He
spent most of the next 40 years doing things that some of us merely
fantasize about.

He was one of the founding members of PETA and participated in a number
of DC area demonstrations, especially those dealing with fur. For several
years, he conducted a lone weekly vigil at a downtown DC fur store carrying
a donated fox stole (complete with head) caught in a massive leg hold trap
with welded-on steel teeth. A talented artist and craftsman, he designed and
built a number of sets used in local demonstrations.

Several years ago, he became convinced that people didn't believe him,
and that he could help animals more by appearing to speak out against them.
At various times, the lettering on his truck would declare "Animals have no
right to exist!" or "Being an animal is a crime punishable by death."

In January of 1981, during the Reagan inaugural, Alex Pacheco and I were
staffing the PETA table in Lafayette Park next to the White House. Alex left
to scout out the parade route for an optimal location of our banner, when
off in the distance, I spotted a large menacing figure on a bicycle heading
straight for our table. I ducked thinking this cowboy was really gonna get
me. But he stopped just short, hugged me, and exclaimed "I was so hoping to
find you guys here." That was my first encounter with Walter Rave.

In January of 1985, a bunch of us were sitting in my living room
strategizing about how to deal with a U.S. Senate resolution declaring
National Meat Week, when Walter exclaimed "why don't we launch a Great
American Meatout?" This was the birth of what was to become the world's
largest annual grass roots diet education campaign, still celebrated
throughout the world each March 20th (first day of Spring).

A few years later, still in my welfare reform mindset, I did a three-day
vigil confined in a veal crate behind the White House. Walter, of course,
chose the night shift for guarding me. As darkness fell, we were approached
by a K9 Park Police officer who informed us that he was there to arrest me,
if I violated park regulations by falling asleep. Walter responded by
telling the officer how much he admired his dog. Next, they were swapping
stories from their common service in Vietnam. Needless to say, I did get to
sleep.

Walter has been and will continue to be an inspiration to those of us who
were fortunate enough to know him.